Coastal landscapes glossary Flashcards
relief meaning
-describes physical features of a landscape stating,
-height
-steepness
-how its features are shaped
waves meaning
-ripples in the sea caused by the transfer of energy from wind blowing over the surface of sea
-largest waves formed when winds are strong
fetch meaning
distance that wind blows over the sea before reaching land
what is a beach
its deposited sand/rock/pebbles that have built up
whats a crest
the top part of a wave
whats a swash
where a wave moves up a beach
whats backwash
when a wave moves back down a beach
characteristics of a constructive wave
-a powerful wave
-strong swash
-builds up the beach
characteristics of a destructive wave
-formed by storm conditions
-strong backwash
-takes material from beach
definition of mass movement
the downhill movement of weathered material under the force of gravity
-speed varies considerably
whats slumping
rapid mass movement where a segment of cliff moves downslope
whats sliding
-occurs after periods of heavy rain
-when loose material becomes saturated and gains weight and moves downhill
rockfall
collapse of a cliff face
landslide
blocks of rock slide downwards
whats a rotational slip
saturated soil and weak rock that slump along a curved surface
whats chemical weathering
-decomposition (or rotting) of rock caused by a chemical change within rock
-sea water can cause chemical weathering of cliffs
whats mechanical weathering
-process that causes physical disinteregation or break up of exposed rock
-e.g freeze-thaw weathering
erosion
wearing away or removal of material by a moving force
-e.g breaking wave
hydraulic power
waters forced into cracks in cliff
gradually making it bigger +bigger
abrasion + corrasion
rocks are flung at the cliff by powerful waves
-starting to erode cliffs
corrosion or solution
rocks like limestone dissolve
attrition
pebbles bang together making them smaller and smoother
transportation meaning
movement of eroded material
traction meaning
heavy rocks rolled along the sea bed
solution meaning
dissolved chemicals are transported in water
saltation meaning
pebbles bounce along the sea bed
suspension meaning
lighter particles, sand are suspended in water
longshore drift
transport of sediment along coastline
-waves approach the beach at a 45degree angle and transport beach material up and down the beach
sand dune
coastal sand hill above the high tide mark shaped by wind action and covered with grasses and shrubs
embryo dune
-salty and close to sea
-at the front of the dunes
fore dune
older than embryos and higher and further from the sea
